Grid spray nozzle



Jan. 3, 1950 E. J. NUTTER GRID SPRHY NOZZLE 3 Shgets-Sheet 1 Filed. Aug.5, 1946 INVENTOR. v EC'W/V J, A/l/TTJFB Jan. 3, 1950 E. .1. NUTTER GRIDSPRAY NOZZLE s Shets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 5, 1946 INVENTOR. FEW/V J.#07754? Patented Jan. 3, 1950 PAT- ENT FFICE' GRID SPRAY NOZZLE.

Ervin J. Nutter, Dayton; 01110 A pucationnu gusrs;1946; seriar No:6ss;414-

8-Claimsr (01. 244-136) (Granted under the act of -March *3, "1883, asamended*Api'il 30; 1928; 370- 0.-G.' 7'57) Tli' inventiondeseribedherein m'ay be'manw' facturecr'andfusedby or for theGo'vernmentfor governmental purposesiwithbut paymentto 'mex' ofa'n 'ro a1tlythereomIt is a primary object of my inventionto pro;- vide a grid spraynozzlethat utilizestheactiorrof. air new through the grid nozzle to drawthe spraymaterialltherefrom in atomizediform.

'Imfi'mvenfioflrelates'to gridlspmy'nozzlescon:' 5 It is another objectof this invention.to-atomize structed and'iarran'ged to"f ormVenturipassage mean'sth'rough which theffiow'of air is"utilized*to"ip drawspray material therefrom and be diffused in" atomizedrormr aref' kn'oiwnf or distributing 'sprayi material'iin" whieh' the spray? material isordinarily emitted" from:the:spray nozz1e meansibyi'gravityoriorcedti.:therefroinibyra pressuretpumpf Many forms" of spraynozzleshave beenproduced-to decrease tlie 15 droplet size'of therissuedspray-sinceadec'rease droplet size lnorea'ses-the"emciency of the spray? suchform's'xo'f breaking upithespray materiar have included" especially'designe'dmozzl'e heads}: spray breaker bars and whirling porteddiscs,or appli" "on" of pre's'sureito'thespray' material, -aml the" likeg' toaccomplish desirable" atomization? While'these devices have beensuccessful inopera= tio'n continued'ffiortsmaye been made'-to"obtain""'a higher deg-react atomization -of spray'material"" 25 to getgreatereffi'ciency without including abure den'soin'e" amount I of "imachinery,as 'pressure"" pumpsfsprayfbreakerbaraetct' Wherespraying"dei/icesare'us'ed" on aircraft the" necessity of 'llSiIlg'i pressurepumpsyisprayr'nozzle" attachments; and th'likjn order to obtaingoodspraying'qualitie's'; is objectionable sin'ethe taircraft operatin'gload is increased.

The presentinv'ention "of thegrids'praynozzle is shown' a'nd describedas '1 applicable to aircraft merely by way of illustration; althoughitmaybe: attachedito othermovablevehicles; "or it maybe usedin a;'stationarymanner; in which thefiovrof air through a 'gridnozzleofstreamlined fiuid'bbm duits, arrangewtoiform Vehturi passages there;betwen'havin'g orifices at the optl'rn'iifn' re'gionfof hiliielo'cityand low. prssureairin the venturi assapesyigbperabl toc'ausefthehprayi material to bedraw'rithroughtheorlfices'atright'anglestoi theaif stream athighivelocityand' shornpffand '45" diffused "to produce atomization of the spray-ma"- teri'al"into .vei'y'flrfialy idividd droplets. L" Iiihas beenfound that 'the'gridnozzla'of thisinventiom giyes droplet sizes approximately" one-halfthat" spray material therefrom-and idiffuses it to pro sprayrmaterial bypassing a stream of air throughw. a gridnof fiuid nozzleconduits,-f0rmed to providea: Venturi t-passage means therebetween; fordrawlingzthe spray'material out of the nozzlevconduitsyrrand'idiffnsing'it.

A further object of this inventio'nlis' "the provt-rn sion -"of a gridspray nozzl'e of parallel streamlined'zi conduits constructed andarranged to formi-Vnr .turi "passage means therebetwe'en withorifices-in theconduits at optimum points of high Velocity andlowpressure wherein air flowing through the' grid nozzle will pull thesprayymaterial from-theconduits-in an atomized spray;

A'still further object of this invention is to p'r'o=- vide"a*grid'"spray nozzle for aircraft havingtarstreamlined manifold means'attachablet0the"-" airor'aftand in communication with a supply'tta'nkforsupplyi'ng;spraymaterial to a multiple of con neeted axially parallelstreamlinednozzl'e con=-"': duits," the streamlined nozzle conduitshaving th'ei'r; major cross-sectional axes" parallel an'diii arranged inthe). same streamlineddireetidni h.

as the .said l streamlined manifold to form .l

Venturi passagesmeans therebetween andQ.orifice's;- arranged in thestreamlined nozzle. conduits suhstantiallyvin the region ofleast-Venturi passage area-1 at right angles to the airflow whereinltheafiowr'ofair through the gridsnozzlet draws the duceaflnezatomizedspray.

Other objects "and advantages -will become apt-, parent as=thedescription xproceeds taken in-icon-i junetion with the accompanyingdrawings int-J whichnss Figr l is a view of s an airplane in brokenlines shewing oneniorm. of the :-grid spray nozzle ac-w cording-totherinvention, attached thereto;

Fig; 2-is--a .front View ofthe :form of thegridspray nozzle shown usedin Fig.1;

Fig-B is a cross sectional view'taken along the. 1lne"'r3:-3- of Fig.2looking in the direction of=ther-s shows anotherziormtof a. grid; spraymFlgi fi isa top: plan --view: of thes-embodiiiientar Fig. 7 is an endview of the embodiment shown in Fig.

Fig. 8 is another embodiment of the grid spray nozzle;

Fig. 9 is still another embodiment of the grid spray nozzle;

Fig. 10 is a top view of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line llll of Fig. 9,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 12 is a broken-away view of the side of the streamlined nozzleconduit that forms one wall of the Venturi passage of the nozzleillustrated in the above figures;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the streamlined nozzleconduit illustrated in the above figures;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another modification of anozzle conduit; and t Fig. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view ofanother form of a nozzle conduit.

Describing the invention more in detail, referring particularly to Fig.1, there is shown an airplane in broken lines, generally designated bythe reference character 21, with a preferred embodiment of the gridspray nozzle 22 of this invention operatively attached to the undersideof the fuselage thereof as by hanger brackets 23 fastened to the gridspray nozzle 22 at 24 and to the airplane fuselage by a plate 25 in anywell known manner. The grid spray nozzle 22 is supplied withspray'material by a conduit 26 connected to a spray'material supply tank(not shown) within the fuselage of the airplane. A throttle controlvalve (not shown) is conveniently placed in conduit 26 in order that anoccupant of the airplane may control the flow of the spray material inthe well known manner.

The preferred embodiment of the grid spray nozzle, as shown in Figs. 2,3, and 4, comprises a fluid manifold 21 having a streamlinedcrosssectional configuration forming a head portion 28 and a tailportion 29. The upper end of the manifold 21 has a flange 30 forattachment to the spray material supply conduit 26 of the airplane shownin Fig. l, or for attachment to a supply conduit of any other desirablespray equipment. The lower end of the manifold is closed by a flat plate3|. Spray nozzle conduits or tubes 32 extend in fluid conductingparallel relation from diametrically opposite sides perpendicular to themajor diametrical axis of the manifold 27 and are streamlined incross-section forming head portions 33 and tail portions 34 that lie inthe same relative major axis longitudinal direction as the head and tailportions of the streamlined manifold 21. The outer extremities of thenozzle conduits 32 are closed by means of flat plates 35 that extendabove the nozzle conduits to facilitate attaching the grid spray nozzleto spraying equipment. The flat plates 35 have openings over the nozzleconduit ends with removable plugs 36 therein for use in inspecting,draining, or cleaning the nozzle conduits 32. The openings thus formedbetween the nozzle conduits 32, with the head and tail portions 33, 34all lying in the same relative direction, are constricted to formVenturi passages. Elongated slot orifice openings 31 are arranged atintervals along the nozzle conduits 32, in the region where the head andmunication between the interior of the nozzle conduits 32 and theVenturi passage. The orifice openings enter at right angles to a tangentof the exterior surface of the nozzle conduit to permit spray materialto be drawn out at right angles to the airstream. The wall portion ofthe outermost nozzle conduits, that is removed from the Venturi passagemeans is imperforate.

The grid spray nozzle may, where desirable, be made in sectionsconsistingof a manifold section with a single opposed nozzle conduit oneach side thereof and individual end plates over each nozzle conduitend. Such sections may be piled to obtain the desired size of grid spraynozzle and fastened together in any well known manner, as

for example, the manner of fastening the sections of a common heatexchanging steam or hot water radiator. The sections are illustrated asbeing connected at 38 and 39.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 show another modification of a grid spray nozzle inwhich two streamlined manifolds 4i and 42 are used having connectingflanges 43 and 44, respectively, for attachment to a spray materialsupply conduit in the well known manner. Streamlined nozzle conduits 45are connected between the streamlined manifolds M and 32 in parallelspaced fluid conducting relation with the head portions of thestreamlined manifolds and the nozzle conduits lying in the same relativedirection in the manner described of these elements in Figs. 2, 3, and4. Caps 56 on the bottom ends of the streamlined manifolds d! and 42 areremovable for inspecting, draining, or cleaning of the manifolds whilecaps 41 on one of the streamlined manifolds are removable for inspectingand cleaning of the nozzle conduits 45. The nozzle conduits 45 haveorifices in their adj acent portions entering into the Venturi passageformed by the nozzle conduits in the same manner as described above ofFigs. 2, 3, and 4. Obviously this modification of a grid nozzle may bemade in sections in the manner described above, if so desired.

The modification shown in Fig. 8 comprises a streamlined manifold 48adapted to be suspended vertically from some spray material supply meansby theflange 49. Streamlined nozzle conduits 50 are attached in parallelspaced fluid conducting relation on one side of the manifold 48 with thehead portions of the manifold and the nozzle conduits arranged in onedirection as described of the corresponding elements in Figs. 2, 3, and4. The outermost ends of the nozzle conduits 59 are closed off by a flatplate 5|. Orifices are arranged along the nozzle conduits 50 to permitfluid in the nozzle conduits to flow outwardly into the Venturi passagesformed between these c0nduits in the manner described of the orificearrangement in these parts with reference to Figs. 2, 3,- and 4. Hereagain this form of grid spray nozzle may be made insections ifdesirable. Inspection, draining, or cleanout plugs 52 and 53 areconveniently placed in the manifold 48.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11 comprises a streamlinedinverted T-shaped manifold54 adapted to be attached to a spray materialsupply conduit by the flange 55. Depending vertically from thehorizontal portion of the inverted T-shaped streamlined manifold influid conducting relation are spaced parallel nozzle conduits 56streamlined in cross section with the head portions arranged in the samerelative direction as the manifold head portion as set forth in thedescription of the corresponding elements in Figs.

2, 3, and 4. The outer ends of the nozzle con duits 56 are closed as bya flat plate 51.

rag'cesiow ting: fthezsprammaterialx although ':rectangular. or around;drilled in! :spunchedizholes may be=.:.used:cwhererparticular'application shows .therneed orxiftherel'arezpreferences.

Fig. 13sshows theistreamlinedinozzlevconduit;

i=5 lroh-Eig. 12,5fr usei'aszone: of the intermediate n'ozzlesconduits,imenlarged: crossi section. 'zThe innozzlemonduit: 6 Ithas :the:orifices; 62. therealong, equivalent? to thexorificesi 3T. in Fig. 3,inrthei reagiomwherecthecheadzportion $3 andthe tailpor-y ttioni 64imeet'entering-znormal to a ,tangentof the -.:outer surfaceithereof..Other typesof streamlined ;-,=nozzleoconduits i-may rberused as.showmin Figs. 14 andzl5zin which the? nozzle: conduits: 6 5 and-@ 6rrrespectively, haveiorifi-ces El aud t-58,- respectively;

.-.-in.1the:region:or :the junctureroi thethead: and-tail gportions..-JIn :the ,grid ass'emblypair:flowa over athese nozzle conduitswill-beat'itshighest velocity hand lowest;:pressure :inethe "region rof the:orifices a-whichrwill create a vacuum. in the:oriflcesto-drawi i spray.emater-ial vout rinto wthe airstream. 'I-he ashearingmfirof the-spraymaterial at the Ecrifi-ces e andthersubsequent reduction in velocity.and zincrease in pressurerofithepmixture in-the diffusion 6 :ithe-Venturi .passagwmeans. "fThe actlomon-lthe airstream through theVenturi passages drawing the spray mater!al'routwardlyzinto the-airstream e'diifuses it in. the: surrounding atmosphere leaving 5 "fitrto'ifa'll :on the, area to be sprayed. Q Theflcw-rate oiathespraymaterial may-be controlled by :an occcupant' 'oifi lthez. airplane-by: -regulating a throttle -'szalve not sh'own). at some. place in thespr'ayma- -.-terial-:sup-p1y=conduit.

0 tEWhilestheigrid spray-nozzle isillustrated as-beziing usedi onaemovable vehicle as-anair-plane it sis to belunderstoodwthat it:may' bemade stationaaryrand; asstreamof air forced through the'grid tmproducerthadesirable spraying results.

.15 :LThe gridtnozzle .is isimple 'of design andrso-conz'sstruptedtithatiittmayibe readily adapted for verylarge'rangetofi'iflowrratesp droplet :sizes; and --air aflowr :speeds.The adoption f of nozzle conduits s-spaced'sinwthe?grid'nozzle.to'formtlongrectangular oflovwsections iszan important feature in spraying.

iThaiposition of thezgrid nozzle inaaniairstream nprovides suiii'ci'enthead -td 'the spray material-Hay sithefi passage of air I. through theVenturi pastages-obviating the necessity of otherequipment .2 o -aspumps or pressure deVi'CeS'tO =produce'an even "flow rate. Althoughthegrid nozzleappears to l have aklarge' frontal area,-' the airstream dragis out-to a minimumbe'cause of the'recoveryfinthe -'-"expanding Venturipassage.

'30 wmier have'shown and described: ce'rtairrsimfple embodimentsof-theinvention it is to be'.under stood that "many "modifications, gproducingchanges *in details and construction, "may "be madewithoutdepartingifrom ther'spir'it' and. scope -ofmy invention and I desire to belimitedonlyby the-*appendd'claims.

I claim: 1. A-"gridmpray"nozzle"devi'ce comprising, a ---'plural-ity ofspaced parallel fluidi'coriduits conportion -iof-the Venturi passagecauses atomizationaao gnefifiblewmsspmy, material.:supply.means..havingof the spray material into finally divided droplets.

The numbersbfcnozzl'ez'condiiitsfishown used in the seyeralembodiments.are.known -to.pr.oduce good spraying results althoughany number maytheir adj acent portions constructedrand arranged jto' f'orm Venturipassage means th'ereb'etween, a and oififi-ees-irithe-said-lluidconduits atthe' throat section of thesaidVenturipassagemeans wherebe used in designing the grid nozzle forparticu- 454 thegfigwhf, air-through figheugrmspraysnozzle larspraying-purposes.

Thermethod of fabricating-the grid spraymoz- .zlemayIbe eflected bywelding;bolting threading, .or;clamping in well knowncmanners as,preferlfromeanyem'etal, fiber, or plastic-material capable of beingformed, out, and'fastened. If it is made of metal it may be made ofvirgin metal or alloy to withstand any corrosive liquids to which it maybe subjected, or it may be plated in any manner 65 spray material supplymeans and adapted to have a stream of air to flow therethrough willcause spray material to be emitted therefrom. By way of illustrationthese conditions may be produced by attaching the grid spray nozzle to amovable *will' pull fluid-spray material outwardly therefrom-in atomizedform.

2;Agrid nozzle' -spraying device; fluid compris- -ing, conduitsstreamlined "in -"cross-section ar- -='able. ..The; grid nozzle may lbemanuiactured m space-dwparanel.relation;thesmajoraxes or theircross=sefctions "being parallel andthe'minor axes-of their cross'sectionsb'eing adj acent the forward respective ends of the same majoraxes to form Venturi passage means therebetween, orifices in the saidconduits in the region of least cross-sectional area of the said Venturipassage means, and manifold means connecting the said streamlined fluidconduits in fluid conducting relation for supplying spray material tothe said orifices which spray material is atomized by air flowingthrough the said Venturi passage means of the grid nozzle.

3. A fluid spray device comprising, streamlined vehicle, as an airplaneshown in Fig. 1, which will manifold means adapted to be connected to a,

in flight cause an airstream to flow through the grid spray nozzle. Theair flowing through the grid spray nozzle passes through the constrictedarea of the Venturi passages between the nozzle conduits which increasesits velocity and reduces the pressure and pulls the spray material outwardly through the orifices at right angles to the airstream. Theorifices are located along the nozzle conduits, as heretofore described,where the source of fluid supply and exposed to a relatively movingairstream, at least two discharge tubes of streamlined cross-sectionconnected to the said manifold means in fluid conducting relation andhaving the major axes of their cross-sections parallel to each other andto the airstream, said discharge tubes being positioned in the airstreamand spaced to form Venturi passages v 'lerebetween, and ports in thesaid tubes for discharge optimum condition of diffusion can be obtainedin 76 of fluid into said Venturi p e means at the throat section thereofto distribute spray 'fluid'in of fluid supply adapted to be carried bythe aircraft, streamlined manifoldmeans connected to said source ofsupply and exposed to the airstream, at least two discharge tubes ofstreamlined cross-section connected to the said manifold means andhaving the major axes of their cross-sections parallel to each other andto the airstream, said discharge tubes being positioned in the airstreamand spaced to form Venturi passage means therebetween, and ports in saidtubes for discharge of fluid into said Venturi passage means at thethroat section thereof;

' 5. A fluid spray nozzle device adaptable for use with aircraft so asto discharge spray fluid into the relativelymoving airstream comprising,a source of fluid supply adapted to be carried by the aircraft, astreamlined manifold connected to the said source of supply and exposedto the airstream, discharge conduits of streamlined cross-sectiondisposed in parallel fluid conducting relation from opposed sidesurfaces and substantially perpendicular to the cross-sectional majoraxis of the said streamlined manifold, plate means closing the outerends of the said discharge conduits with upstanding extensions forconnection to the aircraft, said discharge conduits being positioned inthe airstream and spaced to form Venturi passages therebetween, andorifices in the said discharge conduits for emitting fluid into saidVenturi passages at the throat section thereof upon the passage of airtherethrough.

6. A fluid spray nozzle device adapted to be used on aircraft so as todischarge spray fluid into the relatively moving airstream comprising, asource of fluid supply adapted to be carried by the aircraft, dischargetubes of streamlined cross-section disposed in parallel relation withtheir cross-sectional minor axes lying in the same plane perpendicularto the airstream, said discharge tubes being positioned in the airstreamand spaced to form Venturi passages therebetween, orifices in the saiddischarge tubes for discharging fluid in the throat section of theVenturi passages, and a streamlined manifold connected in fluidconducting relation to each of the opposite ends of said dischargetubes, said streamlined manifolds beingin fluid com'muni cation withsaid fluid supply and each having its cross-sectional major axisparallel to the airstream.

7. A fluid spray nozzle device adapted to be used on aircraft so as todischarge spray fluid into the relatively moving airstream comprising, asource of fluid supply adapted to be carried by the aircraft, aninverted T-shaped manifold being streamlined in cross-section exposed tothe airstream and having its stem portion connected in fluid conductingrelation with the said fluid supply, spray nozzle conduits ofstreamlined crosssection depending in parallel relation from thecross-bar of the inverted T-shaped manifold, said spray nozzle conduitsbeing positioned in the airstream and spaced to form Venturi passagestherebetween, and ports in the said spray nozzle conduits fordischarging fluid into said Venturi passages at the throat sectionthereof.

8. A grid nozzle spraying device adapted to issue atomized spray fluidinto a relatively moving airstream comprising, manifold means ofstreamlined cross-section exposed to the airstream with thecross-sectional major axis thereof being parallel and the minor axisthereof being forward relative to the major axis and to the airstream,said streamlined manifold means adapted to be connected to a spray fluidsupply, a plurality of tubes of streamlined cross-section exposed to theairstream extending laterally in axial parallel relation from the saidmanifold means substantially perpendicular to the crosssectional majoraxis thereof and with the crosssectional minor axes being forwardrelative to the airstream to form Venturi passages therebetween, saidorifices arranged along the said tubes for discharging spray fluid intothe throat section of the said Venturi passages.

' ERVIN J. NUTTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT Number Name 1 V vDate 1,752,879 Anderson Apr. 1,1930 1,957,075 Morgansen May 1, 1934 2,374,130 Planiol Apr. 2'7, 19452,395,827 Husman et al, Mar. 5, 1946

